Monthly Archives augusti 2010

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

This was the first edition of Vagos Open Air I had the pleasure to attend; after chatting with some friends that attended the past edition it was noticeable an evident increase in the number of audience this year, perhaps the cancellation of two other summer metalfests may have contributed in some way. Vagos Open Air is a relatively recent fest (located in a small town 90km south of Porto), being this their second edition which received aproximatedly 9500 people.

Day 01
We arrived just as the Portuguese thrashers Prayers of Sanity were starting to play, but there was only one queue for both accreditations and buying the tickets so we waited on the outside during their whole performance...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Schwarzdorn/Sound Pollution

Eldur, alias Einar Thorberg (CURSE, POTENTIAM), drog igång FORTÍD 2002 som ett soloprojekt. Målet var att göra musik av Völuspá, asatrons grundsten. Ettan och tvåan kom ut 2003 resp. 2007. Eldur flyttade sedan till Norge för att göra om projektet till ett band. På skivan gör REldur all musik själv, annars består bandet av; Daniel Theobald, trummor, Öysten Hansen, gitarr, Gaute Refsnäs, synt, och Rikard Jonsson, bas.

Hednisk metal är målet för FORTÍD. Inledande ”Ancient Hall” ger verkligen känslan av en sal i asatid. Eldur drar på för fullt i ”Ragnarök Army from the East, men hinner med en atmosfärisk bit med en massa stämning...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Limb Music/Sound Pollution

Australien är ingen metalljätte, det har BLACK MAJESTY tänkt ändra på. De inledde 2001 som KYMERA, bytte namn och debuterade med ”Sands of Time” och är nu inne på fjärde skivan. Det har varit mycket prat om bandet. En sak att prata om är att de aldrig haft något fast basist. Får se vad John Cavaliere, sång, gitarristerna Steve Janievski och Henny Nohamed, samt trummisen Pavel Konvalinka har hittat på denna gång.

Inledande ”Far Beyond” låter som HELLOWEEN möter IRON MAIDEN på 90-talet. Power metaltrummor och snabb envis refräng möter Harris & Co´s andra ingredienser. Det finns också en touch av MANOWAR i ”God of War”. Detta är inget nytt men det är en form av metal som bara de extremaste inte kan leva med...

Posted in Cd Reviews

7Hard/Cargo

Who are EMPIRES OF EDEN? Apparently the band consists of Stu Marshall (guitar/bass/orchestration), Louie Gorgievski, vocals, and Jasix, drums, according to the info sheet. More interesting seems the number of guest vocalists. Participating here are; Mike Vescera (ex LOUDNESS, ex. YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), ZAK STEVENS (SAVATAGE, CIRCLE II CIRCLE) and Steve Grimmett (ex. GRIM REAPER, ex ONSLAUGHT, ex. LIONSHEART, GRIMMSTINE). Besides them there are Sean Peck (CAGE), Mike Zolos (DUNE), Carlos Zema (OUTWORLD) and session vocalist Chris Ninni.

Opener “Of Light and Shadows” is augmented by Mike Vescera. If you have a past in the bands he´s sung for, there must be a reason...

Posted in Cd Reviews

7Hard/Cargo

CONSTANTINE is normally guitarslinger for MYSTIC PROPHECY and DESCEND. At the age of 12 he picked up the guitar, and at 19 he joined Swedish band NIGHTRAGE as replacement for present OZZY guitarist Gus G. He left that band in 2007, joined MYSTIC PROPHECY in 2008 and DESCEND seems to be on the move. Is he going places in the world of guitar music too?

“2 Fast 2 Furious” takes off with a bang, nothing is slow. Other musicians on the album are; Frank Huber, drums (ex. VALLEYS EVE), and Bob Katsionis, keyboards (FIREWIND). Spontaneously this is fast, neat and accessible. The production courtesy of RD Liapakis is also a quality job...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

I knew little of Ulver’s recent compositions and albums since I didn’t quite dig the few songs heard from the album coming after the debut black metal album. And after that, I just didn’t get to hear anything, so I went to the concert with an increased dose of curiosity and interest, especially given the majestic location of the Opera scene. Which raised my expectations to a ’special’ concert at least. The fun began upon arrival at the place where you’d see the long haired tattooed metal heads who mainly gave up their black leather clothes or spikes and put up some more ’sophisticated’ clothes. Don’t imagine too fancy stuff now, sometimes it was probably just a black shirt instead of a printed tshirt, it was just fun to notice the attempts of not being extremely metal for some of them...